Top Hat and Cane
by JosGotGlock
Summary: HouseCameron, one shot of sexy fluff. A little tale of how Cameron moves on after Stacy arrives and finds a way to become a stronger person. House catches her in the act and can see the effects of her newfound confidence and is intrigued. Rated T


**A/N: I wrote this during the summer break last year and I was skimming through my files today and read this again. It has a black cane mentioned in it and I have to laugh at myself as House had a similar cane in "All In".This also has a reference to aclass that I recently took at my local gym. Its a great workout and my husband loved the side effects too.GoogleSheila Kelly and you will get a ideaof what I'm talking about. **

**Also, Cameron's outfit is based on a photo spread she did for "Spin" magazine. The photos are available if you Google Jennifer Morrison. Another note, this story has some swearing (I think maybe 4 words), if thats not your thing, then closeyour eyes:D I hope you like.**

She had heard about it on a late night re-run of Oprah while she was off, those weeks after she had quit the hospital. She inquired at her gym and signed up to take the month-long classes two nights a week. And now, she felt like a different person. If anyone would have told her about the class before, she would have thought_"nice girls don't do that"._ Now, she just smiles when people ask her what she has been doing differently.

She gradually changed her hairstyle for work. It's now left long with graceful waves flowing over her shoulders. Her time spent outside this summer had naturally lightened it so that tendrils around her face glowed. She held her body differently and moved with grace through the halls. No longer did she clamp her arms around herself for protection or lower her eyes when passing people she knew in the hallways. Her confidence level in herself had risen and it showed.

She was putting the whole mess with House behind her, but her fellowship wasn't over, so she couldn't make the clean break like she wanted. But, now, she feels she can put their disastrous date behind her and move on with her life.

Her relationship with House had undergone subtle changes, but her feelings for him were still there, no matter how much she didn't want them to be. They were slightly more buried, but still ever present. She knew that he would never return her feelings and was prepared to go on with life without him. She even went as far as telling him so.

She'd found him watching Stacy outside her husband's room. When she approached, she wasn't sure what she was going to say, but felt she needed to tell him that she was over him. Even if she wasn't

"How's he doing, Dr. House?" she asked in a quiet voice and trying not to stir his temper.

He continued watching them for another moment, before saying "Never better."

When he turned to look at her, she continued, "You know, I thought you were too screwed up to love anyone, but I was wrong. You just couldn't love me." Her heart constricted in her chest and her throat threatened to close. House said nothinghe just stood there and gave her the brunt of his icy blue stare.

"It's good. I'm happy for you," she whispered, offering him a small smile beforeturning to walk away. Outwardly her head was held high, her back was straight, but she was sure that everyone around them could hear her heart breaking. She didn't know how she was going to get through the next few months, but she knew that somehow, she would, and that would start with accepting the fact that he didn't love her.

He noticed the changes. After her little speech to him in the hall, he thought maybe she would finally get over her girlish crush and move on. He had too much on his plate to worry about whether her feelings were hurt.

All the same, he couldn't help thinking that his life was a little more miserable without her smile.

Months passed and slowly House was aware that she seemed to have moved on. Deep down inside, he knew he was too old and embittered for her to love. He was a cripple and a miserable bastard that would just bring her down in the end.

He wasn't the only one taking notice of her appearance and newly gained confidence. Foreman and Chase felt like they had a whole new team member to spar with as she began to raise her voice when it came to differential diagnosis. She threw down the gauntlet and let it be known she wouldn't let anyone walk all over her anymore. Even with House, she seemed to stand tall and handled his barbs with practiced ease.

In some ways, this was a boost to the team, and they were looked upon differently by hospital personnel and even Cuddy knew they were working together like a well-oiled machine. Far be it from anyone to stand in their way when caring for their patients. This brought a great feeling of satisfaction to House. He felt they were learning and even though he would never say it aloud, he was proud of their work.

"Come on House, you need to do some PT. Your Vicodin consumption has risen in the past couple of months," Wilson was in House's office attempting to get him out of the hospital. He noticed that his friend had wrapped himself in a cocoon of anguish following Stacey's return and his date with Cameron. He was concerned with his health. It seemed that he had been in a blue funk for many weeks. Wilson wasn't certain, but he had his suspicions that one female doctor was responsible for House's mood.

"Don't tell me what I need to do. What are you, my mommy?" his vexation evident in his voice.

"It's just the gym. You can use the whirlpool when you're done. Believe me, it's much better than the dinky one we have here." Wilson's mouth twisted in annoyance and he was standing with his hands on his hips.

"What? Did I hear our own Dr. Wilson making fun of his precious hospital's PT department?" House didn't try to hide the sarcasm in his voice.

"You used to like going to the gym. Just because you can't do some things doesn't mean you can't lift weights or sit in the whirlpool," Wilson was determined that Greg didn't just give up. He couldn't let him do that. He cared too much. House often said that that was his problem.

House stood with some difficulty, as he was stiff from sitting for so long. "No._You_like going to the gym. I_liked _going to watch the cuties in their barely there outfits. But I'm feeling generous todayso let's roll." He grabbed his bag from under his desk and looked at Wilson to follow. Together they made their way out of the hospital and into Wilson's car. They drove to the gym with minimal banter and arrived with darkness falling.

As they made their way out of the locker room after changing into sweats, House made it a point to poke Wilson with his elbow as a couple of cute blonds made their way into an aerobics class. Wilson just rolled his eyes and kept walking towards the weight machines. They both began moving through the differentweight machines designed to target certain body areas. Keeping a close eye on House, Wilson watched with amazement at how well he knew the machines.

"You've been here before." Wilson said with a touch of amazement in his voice.

"You never asked."

"Well you could have told me about it and then we could have come together." He was a little hurt that he hadn't spoken of it before.

"Ah, but then the little blond beauties would have gotten the wrong impression."

"Like that's ever bothered you at the hospital."

"That's just to get your dander up, but here is where I pick up chicks. You know they really like bitter, old, crippled men. I mean, come on, can't you see them lining up to get to me?"

In truth, House needed the machines to keep his body fit enough to handle the pressure put upon it from walking with a cane. He has to rely upon his upper body to pull him from the floor after a fall, so he comes and does the time on the machine so that all he has to use is the cane. He never let himself think about the wheelchair that he was bound to after the infarction.

Wilson moved over to the treadmill so House decided it was time to hit the whirlpool. He walked back to the locker room to get his swim trunks and moved past a couple of the aerobic workout rooms, the first had the blinds closed. It was the second one that made him pause at the window and gaze thru the half-opened blinds in wonderment at the women moving around in the large room. He closed his eyes and opened them again just to be sure what he was seeing was really there.

There were about twenty women dancing around chairs in the room. They all had on a large men's button down shirt, black leotards and high heels. What drew his eye around the room was the dance that the women were performing. Their bodies were moving sensually with the music as they danced around their chairs as if practicing lap dances. He couldn't believe what his eyes were seeing and he found the strength to move away from the sight of women seductively dancing like they were professionals. He turned and read the paper sign taped to the room's announcement board. What he read made him get aroused just at the thought.

'Stripping for the Everyday Woman' by Sheila Kelly. Classes are designed to assist students in learning how to release your 'beautiful inner woman'. Women of any age will learn a renewed sense of sex appeal.

He moved back to the window and began watching the teacher at the front of the class. He had been to plenty of strip clubs with Wilson, but he would have shelled out good money just to see this woman perform. She was petite and had long flowing chestnut colored hair that hung to her tiny waistand she moved with a sensual grace. Her back was too the class and House wished there was a mirror in front of her so that he could see her face.

'_She has a nice ass,' _he thought, as he watched that part of her body hover over the chair as she moved it in _the_ most sexual way by moving in small circles and then in a 'S' pattern. Then she was dipping her head and torso forward while spreading her legs slowly. His breath caught in his throat as he saw a glimpse of what was under her shirt. Nothing but thigh high stockings and black bikini panties that made him grip the handle of his cane until his knuckles turned white.

_"What kind of gym is this?"_ he asked under his breath. Slowly the woman at the front of the class was motioning to her pupils to try and copy what she had just done. It was then she turned towards them and he got a look at her face. He could feel all the blood gather and pool between his legs as recognition hit him.

Dr. Allison Cameron. He closed his eyes for another time to make the haze clear from them. When he opened them again, he realized that he wasn't just projecting her face; it was her. In the flesh. Literally. **_Holy shit!_**

House never made it to the whirlpool. He stood there, watched her move through her students, laughing and nodding in encouragement. He watched her throw her head back and a peal of laughter came from her delicate throat. Her long lithe thighs moved with a sexy strut that he had never seen her use before and thank God for that. He didn't think he could have resisted her womanly charms as long as he had if she performed that little trick in the hallways of the hospital.

Mesmerized,he watched her walk over to the stereo and hit the CD changer. What she did next caused his heart to momentarily stop in his chest and then stutter to a start again. She moved next to the stereo, picked up a black top hat and a 'Gene Kelly' cane, thenswiftly moved to the front of the class as the first few notes of the Rolling Stones_'I Can't Get No Satisfaction'_began to blare from the speakers. She turned in a quick fluid motion, planted the cane between her spread legs, reached up and pulled the brim of the top hat over one eye. House couldn't keep from holding his breath waiting to see what she would do next. To his astonishment, she slightly turned her head towards the window where he stood and gave a slow wink and a quick knowing smile. _**Busted!**_

After she winked at him, he slowly turned away and limped back to find Wilson, he had to endure the whole twenty questions about what happened all the way back to his car. He simply told him his leg was hurting and that seemed to satisfy him. When House finally made it home he pulled out his best bottle of scotch and proceeded to throw back a three fingered shot. Pouring another glass full, he moved over to his piano and sat there thinking about Allison's performance tonight and her acknowledgement of him watching.

He didn't understand what she saw in him, and was blown away that she would still want him after everything he had done to discourage her. Stacey had left him damaged and broken, but Allison's faith in him was breathtaking. He had pushed her away countless times, but she still opened herself up to him. She knew (maybe even more than he did) that he had lost a precious piece of himself after Stacey left. She understood and tonight it struck him that she had known it all along. He could love.

He forced himself to move to the bedroom to get some sleep before he had to be at work the next day. That was when a certain long haired beauty started dancing her way into his dreams.

In the morningafter a less-than-restful night he slowly limped down the hall towards his office. It was early, even by his standards. He wasn't sure how he was going to look Cameron in the eye today, but he figured he would get through it. At least, he had convincedhimself ofthat until he pushed open the door to his office. He stopped and shook his head. Damn, it was going to be a long day.

Allison sat at House's chair, twirling a black cane in between her long delicate fingers.

"What's the matter Dr. House? Never see me use a cane before?" her face openly amused and her eyes twinkling at him.

"Very funny, Cameron. Why did you have to go and blow my timid little doctor theories all to hell?" his words held a note of mockery, but his eyes were decidedly hard.

"Is that what you thought of me all this time?" her brows arching up to almost her hairline. "No wonder you didn't score with me after our date," she said cheekily.

She really loved seeing him squirm. This was better than she expected after noticing him at the window of her classroom last night. Her confidence level went up a couple notches due to the fact that she could see him visibly squirming.

She couldn't resist her next move. She reached up and hit the stereo button and Mick came blaring out of the speakers singing about no satisfaction. House acknowledged the song with a roll of his eyes. Right now, he really just wanted her to move from that chair; his leg was really bothering him this morning.

She must have noticed his grimace of pain because she hit the mute button and bolted out of his chair and to move out of his way. His strong arm snaked out and he grabbed her around the waist, makingher sidestep until she was directly in front of him.

"What you were doing last night, it was…," he couldn't finish without revealing how much it affected him. He knew that he wanted her, but was afraid of making that huge leap to something more.

"Well, it certainly wasn't supposed to be seen by the likes of you," she was angry that he couldn't reveal his true feelings even after all these months. She almost made it, trying to forget him, but catching him watching her last night just reversed all the headway she had made.

"Dr. Cameron, I'm hurt," he adjusted his features to give her a wounded look.

She gave an undignified snort, which amused him"Yeah right. And Hell just froze over."

A war of emotions raged within him as he thought about pushing her away. He feared he had already revealed too much, but she reached up her hand and smoothed it along his jaw feeling the day old stubble and he wondered if he would ever be able to live without her touch. Deep inside he felt his emotions swirling around waiting to come to the surface. He wanted her, but he was afraid of hurting her. He always hurt her and he didn't understand why she kept coming back to him.

"What you saw last night, House, was me getting on with my life. It had been working for the last couple of months, and it doesn't involve you stomping on my heart with every chance you get. Face it, House, until you saw me shaking my butt last night, you didn't give a damn about me or my activities outside this hospital. So, just drop the act and let's just forget you ever saw me last night. I will continue to be your 'girl Friday', and you can keep on being the misanthropic bastard that we all know you are," she finished with a small sad little smile and moved to walk away.

He wasn't near ready to let her to go. He wanted to say something, but his mind wasn't working at top speed this morningso he wasn't surprised with what happened next. He would probably regret it later,but he kicked the negative thoughts aside and unlocked the emotions that he hadn't used on over five years

He grabbed her hand and pulled her back roughly, almost violently, against him, pressing her womanly curves to his. His lips crashed down onto hers and she let out a small gasp as he pushed his tongue into her mouth, past her teeth to duel with hers. He felt her free hand move to his chest and linger there for a moment before she slid it up, curlingher fingers in the soft hair at the back of his neck.

His kiss was urgent and rough, as if he was trying to memorize her. With a ragged breath he slowly raised his mouth from hers. He looked down and was a little shaken at the expression of rapture on her face. He felt his heart give a lurch and he couldn't resist leaning forward again,moving his lips in a searing path down the side of her neck. He must have touched an erogenous spot, as he felt her body give a shudder and she let out a low moan in response to his efforts.

As he kissed her neck, he felt his arousalgrow stronger, and he growled low in his throat as his lips recaptured hers, even more demanding this time. His strong arms pulled her even closer as she matched his urgency with her own lusty, unsated needs. Her blood was pounding in her brain, leapt from her heart, and made her knees tremble. She had dreamed of being crushed in his embrace and now it was really happening.

A clearing of someone's throat made them jump apart. _Fuck. Wilson._ Great_timing._ House knew he would have a hard time living this moment down with his friend. Thankfully, though, his back was to himHe looked down at Cameron as she slowly leaned around and overhis shoulder to face Wilson.

"What do you want, Dr. Wilson?" She surprised House, as her voice vibrated with new confidence and her face held an amused expression as she looked at the other doctor.

"Oh…ah…well, that is…" Wilson was taken aback at the look of confidence he saw in her face.

House, noticing this too, looked down at her and leant forward to whisper in her ear. His silky voice held a challenge, "Would you like to finish this little conversation of ours tonight at my place?"

"Let's make it my place and I might show you what you missed of my performance last night," she whispered back, her voice low and purposely seductive, obviouslyrecovering from Dr. Wilson's untimely interruption quite nicely

He swallowed hard and nodded his head at her. "Seven ok?"

"Yes, be sure to bring some food," she said and walked past a dumbstruckDr. Wilson, givinghim a wink and a smile.

House turned and gave the man a glare that would have turned him to stone if he had the ability to do so.

"Soooo, I guess…you and Dr. Cameron have mended fences?" Wilson wasn't sure if he was on solid ground or not, but decided to push him just a little bit. Besides, he himself hadn't regained most of his coherent thought processes after seeing…well, i _that_. /i

House sat down in his chair with a big sigh as his leg was just about at its limits. He popped back a Vicodin and gave Wilson his best "death ray" stare. It would be in his best interest to wrap up this conversation. Quickly.

"House?"

"Yeah?"

"For what its worth, she really has changed from before, and I think you just might like the changes she's made." Wilson said knowingly."_Besides, he thought, what kind of friend would I be if I hadn't dragged you to that certain gym at that certain time?_" Wilson was sneaky, but he had learned a few things over the years from House.

"Yeah, I think you might be right," he said absently, nodding and thinking of these i _changes._ /i as the younger man turned and walked out of his office. Today was going to be a long day.

When House used his new black cane to knock on Cameron's door promptly at seven, he was holding a bag of Chinese take-out. Despite his brain's attempts to think otherwise,he knew that tonight was going to be fun, probably the first fun he'd had since before his leg was damaged. After thinking (for a _long_ while)about this new side of Cameron, he knew he'd lost the battle of his feelings for her. She knew it, too, and he was happy that she wasn't gloating. Now, he just wanted to move forward and explore all the delicious possibilities. He just hoped he was up to the challenge of keeping up with her and all these interesting _changes_ she was so insistent on making.

When Allison heard the wooden knocking on her front door, she was ready for him. She was wearing her new outfit and was sure it would knock his socks off. The one time he had been to her apartment, she hadn't let him see the full living room, choosing to keep him at the door despite his best attempts to see inside. What he hadn't seen was her mirrored wall and dance bar attached. She used it when stretching, but it had a dual purpose of allowing her to practice her moves in the privacy of her home. Tonight she had placed a chair in front of the mirror and this would be where he would sit for his private performance. She already had her CD player set up for Tina Turner's_"Private Dancer"._ House was in for a thrill of a lifetime.

She knew that the internal conflict that he'd been having over his feelings was gone, and she knew what she had won. And she wouldn't press him on it.

The knocking grew louder for a moment beforeshe opened the door wide and let him get his first view of her. His eyes almost popped out of his head and he stared at her, taking it all in. Her hair was gloriously flowing over her creamy shoulders, and she had a small scrap of leather tied around her breasts, pushing them up. Her stomach was flat and looked like he could bounce a quarter off it. His eyes moved lowerdown over her hips where that was another slightly larger scrap of leather that barely passed as a skirt. **_Oh. My. God_.** His eyes traveled down her long legs to the top of her black stiletto boots. She reached out for his free hand and pulled him inside.

He visibly gulped and she laughed, shutting the door and firmly flipping the lock into place. What went on behind this door was something that House would never forget and Allison would always remind him of when he got a little too cranky. Together they knew they had something special (a little dysfunctional, but special) and they made sure they revisited this little scenario whenever possible.


End file.
